Dr. von Breech
Full Name: Dr. Philip von Breech Titles: Inventor, Scientist
Dr. Philip von Breech was an eccentric Rislandian inventor and one of the kingdom's expert scientists, responsible for many inventions used by the knights of Rislandia on recent missions. He was regarded as a foundational figure in Rislandian technological development and served in an advisory capacity to King Malaky XVI.
Overview
Dr. von Breech was regarded as a benchmark of Rislandian ingenuity. In The Iron Wedding, he was invoked by name as a measure of scientific achievement, with the text noting "much like our own Dr. von Breech, who created most of Rislandia's new technology." He was compared to Dr. Metzengerstein in this context, suggesting a parallel reputation for prolific and consequential invention.
Appearance and Manner
In The Steam Knight, Dr. von Breech arrived at the king's retreat dressed in a finely-tailored suit with a gold chain hanging from his breast pocket. He was observed dragging heavy luggage on two wheels, suggesting he traveled with considerable equipment.
Role in The Steam Knight
In The Steam Knight, Dr. von Breech was traveling from his laboratory in Brighton to Rislandia City when he was turned back by a soldier. He expressed concern that the Wyranth Empire might raid his estate and the lab located there.
He subsequently arrived at King Malaky XVI's retreat, where he presented a flashlight and an aether-fueled auto-electrocuter to the king. He demonstrated the flashlight and supervised James Gentry's use of the auto-electrocuter, clasping the device onto James's right arm and warning him: "You won't unless it's absolutely necessary? I don't want any problems, especially with the wooden deck out back."
Dr. von Breech was also present at King Malaky XVI's side during a diplomatic meeting, seated with a box of his contraptions. He displayed the flashlight and the electricity-shooting arm contraption to Ambassador Sheila McRose, telling her: "You reverse-engineer and fabricate a few hundred of these, and you'll find yourself with far less of a problem with your goblins in the north." He was subsequently invited to a private dinner with King Malaky XVI, Queen Reina I, and Matthias du Gearsmith.
Inventions
- Aether-Fueled Auto-Electrocuter: An arm-mounted lightning weapon powered by aether fuel. It shot lightning bolts up to four feet and was prone to overheating, with the risk of explosion under sustained use. Dr. von Breech personally clasped the device onto James Gentry's right arm and cautioned against unnecessary use near flammable surfaces such as wooden decks.
- Jetpack: A personal flight device consisting of two metal cylinders operated by pressure-sensitive triggers. It consumed aether fuel rapidly and was noted as extremely difficult to control.
- Flashlight: A portable light source of von Breech's design. When presenting it, he stated: "It's called a flashlight. It should prove useful in the dark."
Affiliation
Dr. von Breech was affiliated with Rislandia and his work contributed directly to Rislandian military and civilian technological capability. His inventions were associated with the broader ecosystem of Rislandian arms and equipment, some of which were developed or housed in connection with the Rislandia City Weapons Facilities. He maintained a private estate with a laboratory, located separately from Rislandia City, which he feared could be targeted by the Wyranth Empire.
In the short stories
In City Duty, von Breech is described as short, stocky and tipsy, with a monocle in his right eye and a briefcase. He is "one of Rislandia's primary inventors", and James remembers him from King Malaky's lakeside retreat and the auto-electrocuter. On Cid's suggestion he recruits James Gentry to test his jetpack in the knights' courtyard. The story once spells him "Dr. Von Breach".
In A History of Rislandia
According to A History of Rislandia, Dr. von Breech is credited as the creator of the flashlight, the aether-fueled auto-electrocuter, and the jetpack. The sourcebook attributes each invention directly to him, listing his name as creator in its entries on Rislandian technology.
The bible characterises him as "eccentric, innovative, and slightly mad" — a description that broadly aligns with his portrayal in the novels, though the addition of "slightly mad" is a detail not present in the novel-based account on this page and represents the sourcebook's own editorial voice on the subject.